Log loading attachment



Sept. 16, 1958 H. BRENNAN 2,852,150

LOG LOADING ATTACHMENT Filed May 18, 1956 [dward fifirenrzan 3 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 16, 1958 5. H. BRENNAN 2,852,150

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United States Patent LOG LOADING ATTACHNIENT Edward H. Brennan, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, assignor to Barber Machinery Ltd., Calgary, Alberta, Canada Application May 18, 1956, Serial No. 585,708 2 Claims. (Cl. 214-147) This invention relates to a log loading attachment for an overhead loader.

The loading of logs onto trucks from a skidway or the like is an awkward and time-consuming operation. Moreover, a substantial problem resides in the difliculty of delivering the logs satisfactorily onto the bunks of a truck which may be four feet high and also of completing the final stages of the load which may be thirteen feet high.

An object of the invention is to provide an attachment which will permit an overhead or overthrow leader of the tractor type to be satisfactorily employed for loading logs or like objects onto a truck or the like whereby the operation may be conducted more conveniently and with a substantially reduced amount and time of travel of the objects being loaded.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of an attachment in accordance with the invention,

Figure 2 is a plan view, and

Figures 3, 4 and 5 are side elevations showing the device in various successive stages of the loading operation.

In the drawing, 1 indicates an overthrow tractor-operated loader which may be of conventional type or of the type disclosed in United States Patent 2,717,090. The loader has the usual trawler means 2 as well as overthrow arms 3, the ends of which may be connected by a yoke 4. It will be understood that the overthrow arms and yoke are subject to power actuation in the usual manner for swinging movement over the tractor from the forward to the rearward end thereof and vice versa.

A pair of brackets 5 are fixed to yoke 4, each bracket having a skid-shaped lower surface 6 which extends below yoke 4 in its forward position. A link 7 has one end pivoted by means of a pin 8 in each bracket 5. A bottom fork 9 is pivotally carried by means of a pin 10 at the other end of each link 7. As shown, each fork 9 has an angular end portion 11 with a broadened extremity 12. As shown in Figure l, in the lowermost position of fork 9 the extremity 12 has a forward portion in which pivot pin 10 is located and a rearward portion in which a pivot pin 13 is located and to which is connected the piston rod 14 of a hydraulic cylinder 15 of conventional type. Cylinder 15 is pivotally mounted on pin 8, and it will be observed that actuation of the hydraulic cylinders 15 will swing forks 7 about their pivots 10. Fork 9 has a curved inner surface 16 for reception of logs 17.

Fixed to each link 7 and extending therefrom in a generally perpendicular direction in the lowermost position of the device, as shown in Figure l, is a top fork 18 which may also be provided with a curved inner surface 19 for reception of logs 17. A hydraulic cylinder 20 is pivotally mounted on each bracket 5 at 21 below pivot pin 8. The piston rod 22 of each cylinder is pivotally connected to pin 10, and it will be observed that actuation of cylinders 20 will cause swinging movement of links 7 and forks 18 about pivot pin 8.

Control means for actuation of .cylinders 15 and 20 are of conventional character and are not illustrated.

It will be observed that, in the open position of forks 9 and 18, as shown in Figures 1 and 3, forks 9 are in generally right angular relation to forks 18, cylinders 15 and 20 being in fully retracted position.

The operation of the device will now be described with particular reference to Figures 3 to 5, inclusive. The loading position is shown in full lines in Figure 3 and it will be observed that the arms 3 have been swung upwardly to locate bottom forks 9 in somewhat inclined relation to the log pile illustrated. With the points of forks 9 directed under the log pile and in proper relation thereto, the operator drives the tractor forwardly to position the forks 9 under the pile of logs to be loaded, Cylinders 15 are then actuated to close forks 9, i. e., to swing the latter upwardly until the ends thereof are in substantial engagement with the ends of forks 18, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 3. The logs are thus clamped rigidly between forks 9 and 18.

Cylinders 20 are then partially actuated to swing the forks and load into overhanging relation to brackets 5 and arms 3 lowered to place the brackets and load in skidding relation to the ground, as shown in Figure 4. This arrangementment permits the centre of gravity of the load to be moved as closely as possible to the forward end of the tractor, thus minimizing wear and tear thereon. Moreover, since the skids 6 carry the load, the tractor is relieved of carrying the dead weight.

The tractor and load are then moved to the truck or other location where the load is to be dumped. Thereupon, the arms 3 are actuated to swing the load over the tractor. The overhead carrying position of the load is indicated at A in Figure 5. The load may be dumped rearward of the tractor from several selected positions. A high dump position is illustrated in dotted lines at B in Figure 5, wherein the top forks 18 are now positioned below forks 9 and in a downwardly inclined position. Thus, on-opening movement of forks 9, the logs will move downwardly over the ends of forks 18. This is particularly useful in dumping a load of logs on top of a high load which may be thirteen feet high. A low dump posi tion is illustrated in full lines at C in Figure 5, wherein forks 18 have been placed in a downwardly extending substantially perpendicular relation. Thus, an opening movement of forks 9, the logs will drop in a generally perpendicular direction. In this position, the forks may be only about six feet from the ground, and such low dump position is useful in dropping logs into an empty truck.

It will, however, be understood that cylinders 15 may be actuated to drop the load at any position between the high and low dump positions illustrated.

It will be appreciated that, by employing an overthrow handling of logs, as described, a substantially reduced amount of travel is effected between the log skidway and the truck to be loaded, thus reducing wear and tear on the various mechanical elements involved. The reduced amount of travel results in a consequent saving of time. Moreover, the attachment described makes it more convenient to load trucks which are difficult to manoevre, such as those with semi-trailers, since the truck is not required to back up as it is required to do when a front end loader is employed.

I claim:

1. A loading attachment for an overhead loader having an overthrow yoke which comprises a pair of brackets fixed to said yoke, a pair of links each having a pivotal connection at one end with one of said brackets, a pair of bottom forks each having a pivotal connection with one of said links adjacent its other end, a pair of hydraulic cylinders each having one end pivoted to one of 3 4 said brackets at a point coincident with said first pivotal said bracket having a depending integral skid-shaped connection and ailb'th'e'l'" ildfifi'fitfi t6 6K6 Gf'B'BTiEI firk's "s urfaee.

at a point spaced from said s'econd pivotal connection to swing said forks about said links, a pair of top fqrks e'agzh References cued m the file of thls patent fixed to one 6f sa'id links iiitei'ffiedia'te nd, 'afid: a 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS to the other end ef 'one bf's'a'id links. FOREIGN PATENTS 2. A leading attachment as defined-iii 1 1,093,545 Franbe Nov. 24, 1954 

